It took only 10 minutes for Sheila Barry of Groundwood Books to tell me she loved my story and wanted to publish it, but it has taken 4 years for the final product to arrive in bookstores! Happily Friend or Foe is now out and it has garnered some sweet reviews. “…a simple and utterly charming story by John Sobol that has a surprising outcome, giving children ages 4 to 7 a chance to draw their own conclusions” says the Midwest Book Review. And Kirkus calls it “A quiet, thoughtful narrative for all readers who like to wonder.”

Hey, I’ll take it!

My late father published several children’s books, in addition to being one of the most talented and innovative writers of kids’ television during the 70s and 80s. I wish he were around to enjoy this book with me, but even if he isn’t here in the flesh, he’s part of the book in spirit, because so much of what I know about writing I learned from him. What’s also cool is that my kids are in the book too, in spirit anyway, since it is really just a transcription of one of the many thousands of bedtime stories I made up for them.

Anyway, although I know it’s unseemly to brag on social media, I’ll still say that I’m proud of this book, and very grateful to Sheila and Dasha (my illustrator), to my Dad, my kids and everyone else who likes a good story!